Soul Bound Detective Book Two: Bonds
by Dark ring of hope
Summary: This wasn't suppose to happen, it should not be possible. That was all I could think as I watched everything unravel before me, my past life coming back from the grave. Had I ever truly let go of it in the first place? As past reaches forward, the bonds I have depended on for so long begin to crumble. There is only one thing left to do, tell him the truth. Kurama X OC, sequel.


**Yeah i know, its been a long time. Things have been, odd for me. Finished College and looking for a bod like a mad person, as is my beta so trying to connect to look over stuff, is a bit hard to do. As of now, i have finished the rough write of the epilogue to Light Footed Wanderer, and i had promised i wouldn't start posting this till i had finished writing that one. Now i just have to get my beta to look at the last few chapters and it will be finished so i thought i might let you guys have the first chapter of this, i know you've been waiting~ **

**You may have seen this story is rated M. this is because of some of the comment i got about my last story. This one is a bit more gorey and emotional, this some... slightly expliside scene. No citrus, sorry, i don't think it is necessary to write it. lol. Hope i dont loose anyone cause of this, its just a bit darker in places. **

**Anyway i hope you guys enjoy the first installment of Bonds!**

**Rate and Fav! ~ D.R.O.H**

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**Soul Bound Detective**

**Book Two: Bonds**

_"Words are a pretext. It is the inner bond that draws one person to another, not words." ― Rumi_

**Chapter One: Crash And Burn**

Izumi,

It has been mere weeks since the Demon World tournament, yet even with the barrier gone I have felt little threat here in the city. I cannot be sure if such a choice was the best to make, but at least neither Yomi nor Mukruo are on the throne. Part of me is glad that Yusuke didn't win either. I'm not sure whom I would have chosen to win if I could have picked. Either way, our new king seems more stable than the previous three at least. The next few years will tell whether it was right or not.

Hiei seems to have made a decision to stay in Demon World. I wonder if he has found new purpose among the Border Patrol or if it is because he has realized Yukina had long since figured out who he was and he is frightened to see her again. He left me with a few small words to you. He said that the next time you meet that 'your right hook better have improved.' I'm not sure what he means by this, but I'm sure you do.

Yusuke is still missing, and I am beginning to think he truly will stay away. I can't help but feel sorry for Keiko. At least I know you're coming home soon enough. Our time apart has left me with not a feeling loneliness, but a sense of pride. If there is one thing you must know by now it is that I am proud of you, proud to say that I care for you. You have lived and thrived through a trial that others could not. I look forward to spending time in your presence again.

Come home soon,

Kurama.

A sense of warmth spread through my veins steadily creating pathways that would last for years. I could hear his voice as I read it, could see him speak it to me as if he were whispering it in my ear. His letters were a never-ending joy for me, the support I needed when times had been grueling and I wanted nothing more then to lie down and give up.

This would be the last letter I would get from him, and so I found myself re-reading it as I stood by the mailbox. My training had ended a few days ago, and so I could finally return to the city, my apartment, and the life I had made before leaving. Or, at least what was left of it.

With a deep sigh I gently folded the letter and tucked it back into the envelope, slipping it into the pocket of my jeans. I pulled a pen and piece of stationary from my small bag and set to work on a reply, using the side of the mailbox as a table.

Kurama,

It still stuns me to think about everything that's happened in these last two years. Who would have ever thought that Yusuke could change Demon World? I certainly had my doubts when you wrote to me about his plans. Still, they worked out, and for that I'm glad. Between the new patrol and Enma's dethronement I wonder if there will even be any work left for me to do.

Hiei's words do have meaning for me, but that's better left explained in person – so that I can hit you if you laugh. He'll come back though; I know he will, both him and Yusuke.

By the time you get this letter I'll be packing to leaving the next morning. I'll miss my master and the ranch. It's much like my second home, yet I can't wait to see you again. Perhaps we can see a movie?

See you soon,

Izumi.

Once the letter was sealed and stamped I slipped it through the slot for out going mail and let out a long sigh. Two years. It had taken longer then I had anticipated. I should have been done almost three months ago, but the final training took more out of me then I had thought. As I start to walk away, the weight of purple head phones that lightly bounced on my shoulders remind me that they were there and I smiled. In the pocket of my jeans was a new MP3 player gifted to me by Kurama himself last Christmas after I had complained about my CD player dying.

Turning back towards the town I started over to a fence line where a palomino stood docked there. As I approached, the horse looked up from the patch of grass it had been nibbling on and nickered in greeting as I touched its neck.

"Ready to head back May?" The horse snorted in reply and I shook my head untying her from the fence. It would never stop surprising me how friendly animals were with Soul Detectives. It was just one of those really weird unexplained parts of the job.

Pulling myself up onto the saddle, I turned May and got her walking in the right direction. May was, according to my master, my horse. When I had first starting training with him six years ago I had been there when her mother had given birth. I had been mortified, but helped as much as I could. I remember falling asleep in the stable that night with the new foal and Kyo had rewarded me by saying she was mine and that I could name her.

Once we were out of the small, drive through town – where tumbleweeds out numbered the people – I pull my head phones back onto my head and clicked play as I kicked May into run. Couching low in the saddle I let my body ease into her gait and pointed her back towards the mountains in the near distance. It was an hour horse ride back to the ranch so I settled in for the long trip. If things were different, I would have flown there with Kuronue's wings, but these trips were personal. During the times I went to town to retrieve and write letters to Kurama, I left the pendant at the ranch. It was easier on both of us that way.

As May ran, music pumped like blood into my ear, the base making her steps sound uneven, the voice of _Angels and Airwaves_ the backdrop to our journey speaking of how dreams and lives and worries are all hallucinations.

Over the last year or so I had learned how to keep my own secrets from my partner, a way of shutting him out of certain memories. I did that with these letters, and as long as I didn't think about them constantly and he didn't go looking for them, then neither of us had to deal with the pain he felt that came with jealousy. The bat demon continued to try and get me to see things his way, to return his feelings for me, but he knew in the long run I couldn't do that. I had never allowed myself to feel that, and then I had gotten to know Kurama and… and then it didn't matter any more. One can only truly love one person like that; I wouldn't tear my heart apart trying to do otherwise.

The ride back to the ranch was quite, and I let my mind wander, making the time go by faster. When I finally reached the stabled located at the base of the stairs up to the ranch, the sun was starting to dip in the sky. I led May to her stall, undid her tack and brushed her off before feeding her and the five other horses. They all made sounds of protest when I left, and I shook my head smiling slightly as I slid the stable door shut.

"Izumi?" I recognized the voice even over the blaring music and so pulled my headphones off and let them hang on my neck as I turned around and faced Saitō. He was wearing one of the only things I ever saw him wear and I wondered if the SDF ever had a causal workday. I smiled at the black haired man and walked towards him.

"Saitō. What are you doing here?" Smiling slyly, I watched him watch me and shrug his shoulders.

"I just wanted to check on you. I know you must get frustrated up here with only your master to talk with."

"Well… I have Kuronue too."

"I rest my case."

I gave him a deflated look and he laughed slightly, waving a hand to the stairs. I sighed, and we started up them, my legs protesting slightly after being on a horse for so long.

"How is the SDF doing these days? I heard your leader was fired when Enma was dethroned. "

Saitō glanced at me before nodding his head, a small grimace on his face. I was rather sure everyone in Spirit World felt a bit betrayed by their former leader's hidden agenda, the SDF even more so, for not realizing he was letting demons into Human World for his own profit.

"We are managing. Shun-Jun has been appointed captain." He voice matched my scowl at that news. Honestly, how could Koenma put such a jerk in charge? I would have to speak with him about it. "I think it'll help when you're back on duty." He continued and I looked over at him, surprised.

"I didn't think there would be much work for me."

Saitō laughed and patted my shoulder.

"There is always work to be down Izumi. Not as much but…"

I frowned, stopping on the stairs. I didn't like where this was going. Saitō stopped to and turned to look at me. I met his gaze.

"What's happened?"

He sighed, running a hand through his hair, a habit I knew as a stressed gesture.

"There have been reports of rebel demon factions. Those who don't like the new rules. Those who had a taste of humans and don't wish to give it up. The patrol force lead by Mukuro and Hiei have done well in keeping them back, but we need to find the source." He gave me a knowing look. I was a very good tracker after all. "There is no one better at spying then you Izumi."

I snorted a bit shoving him in the shoulder.

"I'm not going to fall to your charms Saitō, I know them too well."

"I suppose you would, wouldn't you?"

I looked at him with a small, weary smile before looking down.

We didn't bring it up often – what had transpired between us in the first year of my job. I had been so devastated; I hadn't felt like I was truly alive, like this was my life. I had wanted to make up my own mind about something, anything. Saitō had been willing to help me.

"Do you ever regret it?" He muttered suddenly, and I sighed shaking my head. I had known that answer for a long time.

"No." I had lost count of how many times he had asked me that, I think he kept waiting for me to say something different. How could I truly regret something that I had wanted? In some round about way in the end, what we had, helped me move past everything that had happened.

Saitō eyed me for a few moments trying to see a lie that wasn't there but he smiled and reached out, squeezing my shoulder slightly. I was thankful for his loyalty, thankful that he'd stuck by me even after things were over between us. He was a friend I could count on, yet I knew at the same time his duties kept him from being there. I couldn't imagine a life as an SDF, living forever, but not truly living at all.

Yet even in this place, a place I called home, life keep moving, and for people like us it never stayed the way we wanted it to.

It rippled around us, the sound low and deep, it shook the ground and I had to catch myself from falling on the stairs. I looked up towards where the ranch was, so close yet still a distance up the stairs, and saw a plum of gray smoke rise up over the trees.

Saitō and I made eye contact for only a moment and then we were moving. He was faster then me without my borrowed demonic speed and I cursed, pushing my legs hard against the stone stairs. It seemed like they kept growing in number, like I would never reach the top. What had happened? All I could think about was Kyousuke. My master had to be all right; he was too smart for such a little thing to hurt him.

But how could I be sure it was a little thing?

Six years I had been on and off this mountain and never had I seen anyone even find it was always peaceful on the ranch, it was part of the reason I enjoyed being here. I broke the threshold gate arch at the top of the stairs and kept moving, my friend slightly ahead and to my side. I could smell ash in the air, the unpleasant smell of something besides wood burning.

We made it to the courtyard – a large open space with a rock garden and a water piece – just before another explosion went off. I saw red and orange and then black and gray as fire sizzled on the ground. Kyo jumped from a ploom, his back to me, his black hair blending with the smoke almost too well. The white garb of his spirit partner told me something bad was happening. For him to use his power enough to show it… something was very wrong indeed.

"Kyousuke!"

His head whipped around moving from me to Saitō and then back to me. He retreated back to us, his wristwatch glowing brightly as time stopped for a few seconds around us. Saitō looked a bit bewildered but seemed to try to ignore it.

"Izumi, you have perfect timing," my master sighed.

"What is going on?" I asked. He shook his head.

"I don't know. Demons are headed this way, and not lower class ones either. Izumi, they are dangerous. You need to get to Kuronue quickly, do you understand?"

I didn't. How in the world where there demons here? Only a handful of people even knew about this place, and why would they want to come here anyway? I knew I couldn't ask him now though; he couldn't keep this time lapse up for long when he already seemed to have used so much of it.

"I understand. I'll be right back." I looked at Saitō and he gave a quick nod, lifting his hands as they glowed white. Kyo scowled before turning and dropping the time shift. Fire blasted the ground near them but I knew better then to try and help now, so instead bolted inside the temple, heading quickly towards my room.

The entire place was a blur; I didn't take in any of it as I shoved my door open and skidded to a stop at my desk where the red pendant hung on a hook. I grabbed it, instantly feeling the tingle of our connection as I slipped the chain over my head.

" _Izumi?_" Kuronue was a bit disoriented by my frantic thoughts as he quickly sifted through them. "_How the hell did demons find this place?_"

"_I have no idea Kuronue, but they need my help. I'm not taking any chances, sorry for the quick awakening but we need to go._"

"_I understand._"

I left my room as quickly as I had come, only stopping to grab my communicator from the desk as well. I called to Spirit World as I ran, only to growl in frustration when nothing but white snow showed on the screen. Was it broken? I hadn't used the thing in a while, and I had dropped in a month ago while training. Was it possible for something like this to break? Cursing, I shoved the thing into my pocket and forgot about it for the moment.

Tapping into Kuronue's power and gaining speed in moments, I ran and let his power run through my limbs. "Soul Binding, 90%." I didn't care if it was overkill or not in those moments, I doubted I would have time to power up if I needed it later. I barely let myself stop at the door out and wince as Wings attached to newly formed muscles and my vision blurred momentarily then sharpened beyond what I had.

The courtyard looked like a battle zone. Animals were running everywhere and I felt my heart squeeze as Shinobu, my master's faithfull dog was thrown by a blast and hit a tree. I didn't stop to check on him, I couldn't, so I charged head first into the billowing smoke, my eyes stinging slightly.

I found the boys towards the tree line. Kyo was fighting two demons and Saitō was handling three. I quickly assessed their demonic energy and scowled. They were all B class.

I stood there for a moment unsure of what to do before I saw Saitō take a hit to the arm and jump back. Reflexively I gripped one of my scythes at my hip and pulled it from its holster and shot it out. I hardly ever had to aim any more as I yanked on the chain and made the speeding blade arch at one of the offending demons.

The male demon snarled as its shoulder was hit, and his red eyes found me quickly before a smirk crept up his face.

"There you are!"

All of the demons turned to look at me for a moment and both of my friends paled. I just stared.

"Take her!"

Kyo narrowed his eyes and I watched as he used his time magic to flit around one of the demons as if he was teleporting. He whipped out his Chakrams -deadly spiked rings the size of a human's head – and I watched in amazement as he flickered about and suddenly the wolf demon was on the ground, in pieces.

Saitō wasn't going to stand there either, but his energy only stopped two of the demons long enough for him to knock them back and continue to hold them off. The red eyed demon – who I realized was an elemental, for his hair was not orange like I had though, but a living flame – charged at me.

I narrowed my eyes blocking out my masters shouts – honestly, I was a big girl, I could handle a demon – as he fended off the remaining demon on his side of the area. Quick as ever both scythes went flying and I pulled them towards one another, cutting off the demon's escape route as he ran at me. I hadn't expected him to jump up, but that's what he did, neatly escaping my blades.

I grimaced, suddenly having to jump backwards as a fireball smashed into the ground near me, and exploded. Well, at least I knew whom to blame for the destruction of the ranch.

"You're mine Soul Detective!"

I dodged a few more fireballs.

"_What on earth is he talking about? He couldn't even know who I am, that's the point of the my job, it's a secret!_"

"_Less complaining, more dodging Izumi! We'll figure it out later, for now, just take him down!_"

I couldn't agree more. Replacing my scythes in their holsters, I flung my arms out to the side as the demon fell towards me, fire in hand. From an onlooker's view it might have looked like I was about to hug him, but that wasn't quiet what I was planning. Four bands on my arms lit up, the blood laced rune spells bringing them to life and under my control.

Quick as lightening they jumped from me, slithering like snakes as they soared through the air. The elemental looked a bit surprised and tried to throw a fireball at one. It simply smoked for a few moments but did not stop seeking its target. They latched onto the demons arms, binding them in front of him and crippling his power. As he fell towards me, moments from the ground, I took another step back and quiet suddenly struck out with my leg, landing a blow to his back and sending him face first into the ground, hard.

If I had a favorite power, it was the flexible armbands that were at my command to do anything – brought to life by dark energy and covered with runes drawn in the blood of their master.

The demon snarled on the ground and for a moment I thought he was done. My certainty didn't last though. Fire jets sprung up from the ground, too quick for me to completely dodge and I couldn't stop and scream as I grabbed at my left shoulder. Kuronue's shirt had been burnt away and my now blackened patch of skin started weeping blood instantly.

"Izumi!" At the sound of Kyo's voice, my head jerked to the side and I saw a new demons jump from the forest. Kyo was looking at me, and I could only stare at the gapping hole in his midsection. He let out a low breath as the demon he had been fighting came after him again, though he did appear to be missing an arm. "Get out of here!"

Those words froze me in place. Was he telling me to… run? How could things suddenly have gotten so bad?

No, no, no!

"Master!"

Something grabbed me from behind and I fell hard to the ground, pain lacing up from my shoulder. I struggled, trying to get the weight off, but finding my mind too panicked. Kuronue was snapping at me to calm down, to focus, but how could I when my master – a man who treated me like family – was so badly hurt?

Then the weight was gone, the fire elemental rolling on the ground in front of me from being thrown. How had he even gotten up with those binding on? Another set of hands yanked me up and for a moment I was dazed. Then I meet the eyes of Saitō and he was wearing the look he only got when he was truly worried.

"We need to help Kyo-" I started, but Saitō cut me off.

"You need to run Izumi."

For a moment I just stared at him, not believing his words, then I shook my head.

"What?"

"You heard me." He grabbed my arm and suddenly we were running from the battle, leaving Kyo to deal with the remaining demons on his own. I struggled, trying to pull free so I could go back.

"No! You can't do this!"

"I'm going to stay Izumi! I'll try to help him, but you're the only one that can get out safely and try to get help, now go!"

Because I had wings. The realization was heavy and bitter in my mind.

We stopped near the stairs and I found myself staring at my friend again. He tried to smile but failed. "It looks like they might be after you Izumi, and we've been caught off guard." He was right and I knew it but still I shook my head again. I could help, I had the power to help. "Izumi please, I'm going to see if I can help Kyo, but you need to get out of here. More demons are coming and we can't handle them all."

"Then why are you having me run? I could help!" I was beyond frustrated now. This was ridiculous. A blast sounded from behind us, and suddenly the bands I had used reappeared on my arms. Saitō gave me an even look. The look of a soldier, the look he wore on missions.

"Please, just get yourself to safety Izumi. We'll be fine. "

I moved to protest again but from behind us I saw a fireball and Saitō had just enough time to push me from its path. My vision clouded from the smoke and debris and when I was able to look around clearly again I found Saitō getting up from the ground, a bit shakily. I took a step towards him.

"Saitō!"

"Get out of here!" His voice was cold. I stopped. There was an order in his voice, something I had never heard from him before, and that scared me. "Now, damn it! Move!" He wouldn't look at me and I froze in place.

"_He's right Izumi. We don't stand a chance like this. We're out numbered, unprepared, and injured._"

"_Then why are they staying?_"

He was quiet for a moment, but he doesn't need to say it, only think it and I know.

They're staying to give me a chance to get out.

My heart clenched in my chest and I felt like I had failed, I had some how derailed from the good day I had been having. Minutes ago I had been laughing, joking, looking to the future with a smile. Life is cruel that way though, and so I seal away those happy moment before they are tainted further. Slowly I made myself turn as I heard footsteps coming and gave Saitō one last fleeting look.

Then I pushed forward and jumped off the stairs, unfolding my wings and gaining height in the sky. I turned west and headed away from the pillars of smoke that rose from bellow, and steeled away my heart. I didn't look back.


End file.
